


In Retrospect

by SailorChibi



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Clothes Sharing, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, F/M, Nicknames, Protective Adrien Agreste, Protective Chat Noir, Subtle Threats, adrien is familiar with stalkers, akuma copy cat, i love when they're comfortable with each other, no sense of personal boundaries, one-sided theo barbot/ladybug, platonic sharing a bed, post-identity reveal, stalkers, woe betide the man who stalks marinette
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-31
Updated: 2018-08-31
Packaged: 2019-07-04 19:00:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,712
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15847398
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SailorChibi/pseuds/SailorChibi
Summary: Adrien has more experience with stalkers than Marinette does. Enough to recognize, and deal with, a potential problem before it goes too far.





	In Retrospect

**Author's Note:**

> A friend pointed out to me that Theo was an adult, and yeah - that's creepy. I would hope the magic on Ladybug and Chat Noir prevents people from realizing how young they are, but for the purposes of this fic we'll say it doesn't.

It doesn't really occur to him until later.

Adrien is sitting at the breakfast table, slogging his way through a bowl of dry cereal. Nathalie has set the newspaper aside and turned her attention to her phone, making the occasional quiet tsk under her breath. No doubt she's pouring over his schedule and trying to figure out how to cram thirty hours of work into twenty-four hours. He drops his gaze when she tries to catch his eyes, and his attention lands on the newspaper. Seeing the words "Chat Noir", he picks it up and sees that it's yet another article about Ladybug and Chat Noir. This time, talking about the akuma Copycat.

He skims it quickly, smiling to himself as the reporter raves about Ladybug saving the day by exposing the fake Chat Noir. She really did. She always does. It's an unfailing fact of life as far as Adrien is concerned: the sky is blue, school lunches are gross, and Ladybug will always be there in the end to save the day. 

The article touches on Théo, who was the unfortunate victim this time around. Some people don't like it when their names show up in the newspaper afterwards, but Adrien can't help thinking that Théo probably doesn't mind. No press is bad press, or so the saying goes. There will be people who commission pieces of art from him just because he was once akumatized. So he'll have a boost in business, and the mayor has slipped in his obligatory line about his hotel, and the statue that started all of this looks beautiful, so everyone goes home happy.

He sees, but doesn't really register, the part that mentions Théo has just turned twenty-six. After all, he doesn't know how old Ladybug is. He doesn't know much about her at all, really. He thinks that she might be around his age, but it's hard to know that for sure. Really, Adrien prefers not to think about it. Ladybug is deadset on the two of them not knowing who the other is, and - as much as the curiosity burns someitimes - he usually respects her on that. He's pretty sure she would be upset even if he accidentally figured it out, so it's safer not to dwell too much on it.

But when the truth does come out, and they've both had their momentary freak-outs and avoided each other for a week until Alya loses her temper and locks them in the classroom together, that little tidbit of information surfaces in Adrien's brain again. And it's all because of a television special that Chat Noir and Ladybug are invited to be on, this time talking about some of the akumas they've faced in the past. Nadja Chamack had queued up a highlights reel showing some of their most famous battles. One of the videos was of Copycat, showing him stealing the Mona Lisa and running away with it. 

Ladybug chuckles a little. "That was certainly interesting," she admits, leaning back and into Chat Noir. He loves that: this easy contact between them. It's only intensified since their identities were revealed to each other. Normally Chat would be purring away, but right now he's preoccupied. He stares, frowning faintly, at the picture on the screen of Théo Barbot.

"I don't know how you did it, Ladybug," Nadja says, leaning forward. "The two of them really did look identical! I spent some time viewing the footage we put together for tonight's episode. I certainly couldn't tell them apart."

"Oh, it was easy once I figured out who was truly in love with me," Ladybug says. It was a throw away comment back then, one that definitely chipped Chat's fragile heart, but now her voice has an edge of tenderness. He knows that now she's talking about him, and it makes a huge ball of warmth surge from his stomach into his chest. 

Nadja's eyes flick between them. It's clear she's not sure who Ladybug is talking about. She must decide it's Théo, because she says, "I imagine that, being a superheroine, you must have a lot of guys falling in love with you. How do you handle that?"

"It can be challenging sometimes, but I'm so appreciative of my fans. They've helped us out in so many ways," Ladybug says earnestly. "The people of Paris are why Chat and I do what we do. It's never going to be an easy job, but we're both happy to do it." She shoots a smile over her shoulder at Chat. "Besides, if a moment of my time is what it takes to make people happy, then I never mind doing that."

Of course she doesn't. Marinette is good to the core. She's the sweetest, most genuine person that he knows always ready to help anyone who needs it. For the first time, that thought is a troubling one. 

"Do you ever hear from your admirers?" Nadja asks.

"Well, yes. The mayor was kind enough to set up that P.O. box where people could send fanmail... Chat and I do read them," Ladybug adds, turning to face the camera and giving that beautiful, winning smile. "For example, I've heard from Théo several times over the years. He likes to keep me up to date on what's going on in his life. Did you know he's becoming famous? It's so gratifying to hear from people that we've helped who have gone on to achieve their dreams."

Nadja smiles too. "That's wonderful. It's unfortunate you couldn't answer his letters." She leans forward. "Perhaps you and Monsieur Barbot could meet for coffee someday to talk about it in person."

"Maybe," Ladybug says with a little laugh, and they move on to the next topic.

Chat doesn't. At least, not until Ladybug elbows him sharply and hisses a reminder in his ear that they're on live television. He jolts out of his thoughts and joins her then, reminiscing and entertaining and making jokes until he has both Nadja and Ladybug in tears from laughing. The rest of the show goes well: they end with Nadja politely thanking both on camera, and then practically falling to her knees in gratitude once the cameras are off. Ladybug sweetly waves off her thanks, takes Chat's hand and they both leave the studio by way of her yoyo.

"What were you thinking about earlier?" she asks later that night, when they're both curled up in bed together.

Adrien looks down at her. She's stunning in the moonlight, with her hair around her shoulders and a sleepy smile on her face. He loves her so much it hurts. "I'm not ready to say yet," he says.

"Oh. Okay. But... is something wrong?"

"No. Or at least, I don't think so."

Marinette nods and yawns. "Okay then." She rolls over, showing him her back. "C'mere, Kitty. I'm cold."

"Maybe if you slept in more than just a pair of my boxers shorts and your bra," Adrien says, amused. He's seen her naked before - in the line of work, not because they've had sex - so seeing her like this barely registers on his radar. He scoots closer, wrapping her up in a hug and letting loose with a purr in her ear just to hear the way she giggles.

They fall asleep together, and as always it's an amazing few hours. Marinette gets up just before dawn, kisses him goodbye, and transforms so she can get home before her parents realize she's gone. Instead of going back to sleep, Adrien rolls out of bed. The sun is just barely cresting the horizon. He transforms too and leaps out the window, streaking quickly across the rooftops in the opposite direction of Ladybug. It takes him under ten minutes to reach his destination: an art studio on the outskirts of Paris, housed above an expensive shoe store. 

He lands lightly on the balcony and tries the door. Much to his surprise, it opens easily. Chat stalks inside. It's dark, but one advantage to being a cat is superior vision in the dark. His eyes adjust rapidly, allowing him to make out details that no human would be able to. And what he finds, well. It doesn't thrill him. The walls of the small room are covered with various pictures. Most of them feature Ladybug. She's visible from every direction. He looks around slowly, walking over to the desk. There, he finds some sketches and rough moldings of some kind of metal. From the details he can glean, he realizes that Théo has been commissioned to make another statue of Ladybug and Chat Noir - possibly to replace the old one he made three years ago.

It's not an excuse. There aren't nearly as many pictures of Chat. In fact, he doesn't see a single picture of just him, or even any pictures where he's front and center. It's always Ladybug.

Some twenty minutes after Chat arrives, he hears footsteps outside. Théo unlocks the door and shuffles inside, whistling. He flicks the lightswitch, but the light doesn't come on. Well no, it wouldn't. Chat purposely unscrewed the lightbulb. He'll have Plagg hissing in his ear about being dramatic later on, but Chat's always been of the belief that the dark is way more scary than the light. He should know.

"Théo Barbot," he says, and watches Théo jump about a foot into the air.

"What the - who's there?"

Chat turns towards him and sees Théo recoil. He knows his eyes are glowing, reflecting what little light seeps in around the balcony curtains, just like a cat's would. "I'm here to give you a warning."

"A - a warning?!" Théo stutters. "Wait, did you break in here?"

"Your balcony door was unlocked," Chat says, and then, "Stay away from Ladybug. Stop corresponding with her. Stop taking pictures of her."

Théo gets defensive immediately. "Hey man, those are just for me to work off of. They don't mean anything."

"Oh really? Then please explain why you need three hundred and fifty two pictures of Ladybug, while you've only got sixty-eight pictures of me," Chat drawls. "Do you admire me so much that you can sculpt me from memory?"

"Of course not," Théo snaps. "You don't own her. You have no right -"

"I have _every_ right. She's sixteen," Chat hisses. He's been told he sounds like an angry snake when he does that. He hopes it scares the shit out of Théo.

"W-What?"

Chat stalks closer, looming over him. "Ladybug is sixteen. She was _thirteen_ when you met her."

Théo's mouth opens and then closes. They both know he's in his early thirties. "I didn't know!" he protests.

"Please. People have been trying to figure out how old Ladybug and I are since day one. It's generally agreed upon that we're teenagers. Don't tell me you didn't know. And even if you didn't, you know now." Chat's glower deepens and he lets out another threatening hiss, close enough to Théo's ear that Théo jumps again, then jerks away from him with a frightened huff.

"Okay!" he gulps, putting space between them. "Fine. I won't write to her anymore. I'll destroy the pictures as soon as I'm done, I swear."

"You better. I would hate to get the police involved, but I will if I have to," Chat says, and he's not lying. "And furthermore, I'd hate to have to come back."

"I said I agreed!" Théo says. He seems genuinely cowed. Chat stares at him for a few seconds longer, driving the point home, then turns and leaps out the window.

He doesn't tell Marinette what happened that day. They've got a test and she's stressed out, and Adrien spends most of lunch rubbing her shoulders and murmuring calming words of encouragement to her. Then they end up going out for sundaes with the rest of their group, and then Marinette drags him home to have dinner with her parents. It's a stuffed and contented Adrien that sprawls into Marinette's bed that night; he pretended to leave, then transformed and snuck back into her room via the balcony. Tikki and Plagg, well used to this routine now, are scuffling on Marinette's desk. Adrien ignores them.

"Do you remember when you asked me what was wrong last night?" he says.

Marinette turns from where she was writing in her journal. She's wearing her Chat Noir pajamas tonight, but only because Adrien stole her Ladybug pajamas before she could get to them. He was delighted to find that they fit him _perfectly_ now - a change from last week, when he'd realized that he had broadened enough in the shoulders that Marinette's clothing was getting too small. He's not sure if she modified her old set or made him an entirely new set, but just the knowledge that she cared enough to do it makes want to flick his tail in pure happiness.

"Yeah, of course. Do you want to share now?" she says, giving him her full attention.

"I went to see Théo Barbot," Adrien says. "After you left this morning."

"You did? Why?"

"His interest in you is creepy," Adrien says honestly.

Marinette blinks several times. "What?"

"You're sixteen, Marinette. He's twenty-nine. You were thirteen when he got so obsessed over you that he got akumatized when you didn't show up to see his statue. To me, that's concerning."

She's quiet for a moment, thinking this over. Then she says, "He didn't know I was thirteen."

"He said the same thing. But I think it's fair to assume no one thought you were an adult," Adrien points out.

"True," Marinette concedes with a nod, still wearing a troubled frown. "But... He's a Ladybug fan. Lots of people are."

"He shouldn't be," Adrien says with a growl. "It's _creepy_ , Marinette. I went there today and he has over three hundred pictures of you. He tried to say he needed them to work off of. That's bullshit. There's a big difference between being a fan and being a stalker."

Her frown deepens. "You really think so?"

"I really do. I have some experience with stalkers. Not as Chat, but as myself. They can be scary. Do you have any other fans that write you as regularly as he does?"

"No," Marinette admits. "I never thought about it like that before."

That's because she's a good person, always willing to believe the best of people. Adrien opens his arms to her. She switches off the desk lamp, plunging the room into darkness aside from her ladybug and black cat nightlights, and moves over to the bed. The mattress sinks beneath her weight seconds before she literally sprawls across him. Adrien mock groans and she snorts, poking him in the side. He grabs her hands before she can find his ticklish spots - because she always finds them - and rolls over, pulling her into a hug hug.

"I need you to be careful," he whispers to her. "You're a big deal. We're in the spotlight too much. It's easy for people to forget we're actual people and not just blank slates for them to build their fantasies on. I can't lose you, Princess. Especially not to something human." He feels that familiar, clawing desperation whenever he thinks about losing Marinette. They say it's unhealthy for one person to be your whole world, but Adrien doesn't care. Marinette is the sun upon which his life rises and falls. Without her, he's nothing.

"I will. I'll try to pay more attention. And if I notice anyone else writing to me too often, I'll let you know," she promises. She pushes him back a little, but only so she can cup his face and press their forheads together. "What other girl can say she has a big strong kitty to scare away weirdos?"

"None that I know of," Adrien says. He's relieved she's not angry, that she didn't say she could've handled it herself. Because he knows she could've, very easily, but this is something Adrien has more familiarity with. He'd rather some stalker flip out on him in a rage than on Marinette. 

Marinette smiles coyly. "Guess I must just be lucky."

Adrien smiles back and leans down to kiss her. Against her lips, he murmurs, "Actually, I'm the lucky one, M’lady."

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on [tumblr](http://tsuki-chibi.tumblr.com/).


End file.
